Spooled marking apparatus and methods therefor

Abstract

A spooled marking apparatus for defining layouts of athletic fields, playing surfaces, home improvement projects, and the like is presented herein. The reel includes a housing within which a spool is disposed retaining an elongated marking device wound thereon. The housing includes an opening through which a free end of the elongated marking device is allowed to pass through. The free end of the elongated marking device includes a fastener, and the housing includes a lock and a roller handle.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . A spooled marking apparatus comprising:
 a reel,   a base,   said base comprising a top surface and a bottom surface, said bottom surface of said base comprising a concave curvature, wherein said base is disposable in a movement restricting relation with a supporting surface as a result of a weight of said reel distributed upon said top surface of said base,   said reel comprising a housing and a spool disposed within said housing, said spool comprising an elongated marking device wound thereon and extendable out of said housing,   a plurality of holes disposed in a spaced relation along a length of said elongated marking device, and   at least one securing device disposable through at least one of said plurality of holes and into an engaging relation with the supporting surface to removably secure said elongated marking device to the supporting surface.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 1  wherein said at least one securing device comprises a stake with an enlarged head and an elongated shaft, said elongated shaft being disposable through said at least one of said plurality of holes and into the supporting surface. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 2  further comprising a plurality of securing devices, each of said plurality of securing devices being disposable through a different one of said plurality of holes disposed along said length of said elongated marking device. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 3  wherein, with at least one of said plurality of securing devices secured through said at least one said plurality of holes, said elongated marking device is positionable in an angular orientation with said at least one of said plurality of securing devices defining an angle vertex. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 1  wherein said elongated marking device further comprises a plurality of color-coded markings disposed along said length of said elongated marking device, wherein each of said plurality of color-coded markings represents a different standardized length. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 5  wherein said different standardized lengths each represent at least a portion of an athletic playing surface. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 6  wherein said plurality of color-coded markings comprises a first color-coded marking representing a first standardized length associated with a first playing surface, and a second color-coded marking representing a second standardized length associated with a second playing surface, wherein the first color-coded marking and the second color-coded marking are different colors. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 1  wherein said reel is not removable from said base. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 1  wherein said reel is removably connected to said base via a connector, said reel being rotatable relative to said base. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 1  further comprising a fastener disposed at a distal end of the elongated marking device. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 10  wherein said fastener is selectively attachable to another spooled marking apparatus. 
     
     
         12 . A spooled marking apparatus comprising:
 a reel,   a base,   said base comprising a top surface and a bottom surface, said bottom surface of said base comprising a concave curvature, wherein said base creates a suction effect upon a supporting surface as a result of a weight of said reel being distributed upon said top surface of said base,   said reel comprising a housing and a spool disposed within said housing, said spool comprising an elongated marking device wound thereon and extendable out of said housing,   wherein said elongated marking device comprises a plurality of color-coded markings disposed along thereof, and   wherein each of said plurality of color-coded markings represents a different standardized length.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 12  wherein said different standardized lengths each represent at least a portion of an athletic playing surface. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 13  wherein said plurality of color-coded markings comprises a first color-coded marking representing a first standardized length associated with a first playing surface, and a second color-coded marking representing a second standardized length associated with a second playing surface, wherein the first color-coded marking and the second color-coded marking are different colors. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 12  wherein said reel is not removable from said base. 
     
     
         16 . A spooled marking apparatus comprising:
 a reel and a base, said reel and said base comprising a single unit,   wherein said base comprises a top surface and a bottom surface, said bottom surface of said base comprising a concave curvature,   wherein said base is disposable in a movement restricting relation with a supporting surface as a result of a weight of said reel distributed upon said top surface of said base,   said reel comprising a housing and a spool disposed within said housing, said spool comprising an elongated marking device wound thereon and extendable out of said housing.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 16  further comprising:
 a plurality of holes disposed in a spaced relation along a length of said elongated marking device, and 
 at least one securing device disposable through at least one of said plurality of holes and into an engaging relation with a supporting surface to removably secure said elongated marking device to the supporting surface. 
 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 17  wherein said elongated marking device comprises a plurality of color-coded markings disposed along thereof, and wherein each of said plurality of color-coded markings represents a different standardized length.